How the Four Seasons Affect Retail Sales

Posted on July 11, 2018

Everyone knows that the Four Seasons and their respective weather patterns dictate the annual cycle for fashion trends. Aside from obvious strategies like season-related clearance sales and updated stock, however, few retailers know how to benefit from a seasonal approach. In reality, the Four Seasons inform the fundamental concept of “fashion,” where people choose clothing that not only serves a purpose, but reflects personal style. A sales approach fundamentally built around the concept of seasonal fashion can radically improve sales, offer brand differentiation, and generate loyalty as customers return year after year.

The Wardrobe Seasons

For retailers, the Four Seasons dictate periods of increased revenue, typically in months that see shoppers interested in apparel for the forthcoming season. These high revenue, transitional months occur one or two months before summer and winter, and include March, April, May, September, October and November. In the other months, revenue falls as customers pursue deals on discounted items from the current season. Because of this, retailers tend to see less revenue in the summer and early part of the year.

Benefits for Customers and Retailers

The way in which many people purchase winter coats serves as a useful illustration of the impact the seasons have on retail revenue. Many customers in the market for a winter coat will wait to purchase it during the markdowns they expect in January and February. A customer might get a deal, but they also get a coat of limited value. Retailers sell apparel at clearance because it failed to move during a high revenue month. Many things can influence why a particular item fails to move, but regardless, customers who buy at clearance find themselves with the season’s leftovers. Also, individual pieces purchased at clearance rarely complement one another, so an inexpensive winter coat — which ideally should serve as the centerpiece of a wardrobe — can appear awkward and unflattering as it clashes with other clothes.

Sales associates who can convince customers of the necessity of complete, complimentary wardrobes in advance of the season can drive sales in the transitional months that contain higher revenue opportunities. Not only that, but customers receive the benefit of clothing that works well together, and no longer waste money on clearance pieces that do not work with anything else. Once customers understand how the versatility of a unified wardrobe extends apparel’s effectiveness, they realize how wardrobe planning can actually save them money longterm. This generates repeat sales, as customers return season after season, year after year, to receive the same personalized service.

BJ Wilson and Company offers training solutions for retailers who want to take advantage of the Four Seasons sales approach. In addition to wardrobe construction, sales associates learn which patterns and fabrics traditionally complement seasonal clothing, and how to keep customers up to date on current styles.To learn more, visit Amazon to purchase a copy of The Fashion Cycle: Strategic Buying & Selling for Retail: A Workbook and Practical Guide. To learn more about the book, click here. For questions or inquiries about how to utilize seasonal fashion for stronger sales, contact us to inquire about company training. Our services in this regard can revitalize a fashion retailer in Dallas and Fort Worth, TX. For more information, call 817-763-5081 today.